Not Just Any Human
by Rhine Lei
Summary: The night of the shipwreck, Prince Eric jumps in after Ariel when she is hit on the head. He's shocked to find that mermaids are real when he saves her from the storm, but his curiosity out weighs his fear of the unknown. How much would Eric knowing about mermaids have changed the story? What would happen if Ariel and Eric had to work together? What role would the sea witch play?
1. Chapter 1

Ariel watched the lights explode in the sky, every bit as brilliant as the colors she'd seen under the sea. The noise was impossibly loud, but as the explosions spread, and then fizzled above her, she stared in wonder. They faded from pink, to blue, to green…

As she swam closer to the ship, and watched the people celebrating on board, her heart stopped when the prince walked forward. Midnight black hair fell in front of his eyes. A warm feeling crept from deep inside her stomach, and seemed to bloom all the way up to her cheeks as she watched him with the others.

There was something about him. His smile told her he took very little seriously. There was a wonder and adventure in his spirit, that matched her own. Yet, he seemed sad somehow. Like genuine pain was hidden right behind his eyes.

An older gentleman came forward and spoke to him.

"I had hoped it would be a _wedding_ present." He insisted.

The prince let out a great sigh. "Come on, Grim. Don't start!"

"Eric, your father-"

"I know what he wanted." Eric cut him off. His voice was exasperated, and again, held a bit of that sadness within it that others may not have noticed.

 _Wanted_

Past tense.

Ariel furrowed her brow as she considered it. His father had a plan for him. Even worse, his father wasn't here to see his son grow, and let those dreams change as his son became a man. He was competing with a ghost.

Ariel fought with her own ghosts. She was always torn between missing her mother terribly, and never wanting to hear what a disappointment she would have been to her. The fear of never measuring up caused a deep ache in the young princess's heart.

Was she truly so unlike what her mother had hoped for? Or was her father just as unrealistic with his expectations for his wife as he was for his daughters?

Ariel hadn't heard the rest of the conversation when she snapped back to the present.

"She's out there somewhere." Eric said determinedly. "I just haven't found her yet."

There was no hint of doubt in the prince's voice. Ariel listened from her hiding spot on the side of the ship, and felt hope wrap around her heart. Could she be the girl he was looking for?

"Believe me, Grim, when I find her I'll know. It'll just, BAM, hit me. Like lightning."

As if the fates had heard him, the wind kicked up, the heavens poured down, and a great storm was around them before they knew it.

Eric snapped to attention when a sailor shouted, "Hurricane a-comin!"

The mermaid barely had time to snap to attention, when lightening struck the ship. The vessel that had housed the wonderful lights in the sky was engulfed in flames within moments. The men frantically made their way to the lifeboats as they crashed into a rock in the middle of the sea.

Ariel looked around desperately for the prince. She had just seen him hoist himself into a lifeboat, when a piece of the sail came crashing into the back of her head, and the world faded to black.


	2. Chapter 2

While the young prince might struggle everyday with the fear of not being enough, of never measuring up, all those fears and doubts left like the wind when the ship erupted into chaos. When it was time to lead, Eric was strong. Sure.

He was a good sailor, but no amount of training could have saved the ship. As it crashed into the rocks, he directed the crowd. Pulled people toward the lifeboats. Saved people from the waves. The hazards were simple obstacles to him. He had no regard for himself, only getting his people away from the.

As he helped Grim into the lifeboat, he caught a glimpse of something bright out of the corner of his vision.

 _A girl._

He blinked. Rubbed his eyes. Looked twice.

It was a girl. Questions buzzed in the back of his brain.

How did a girl get out here? Did they have a stowaway? Had someone brought her on board?

Even as they raced through his mind, he shoved them away. A simple truth was that a girl was in the water, and she needed help.

"Grim! A girl!"

The prince pointed, but no one saw what he was talking about. The old man shook his head. As he opened his mouth to tell him there was no one there, the prince dove into the water.

"Eric!" Grim shouted after him.

"What's he doing?" One sailor shouted.

"Is he CRAZY?" Another demanded.

"Go after him!" Grim shouted.

The crew had just begun to scramble after him, when the ship suddenly erupted, and the water was rocked with the force of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Eric searched frantically in the chaos for the girl in the water. Debris and rocks were everywhere, making the journey to her no easy task. The sound of the storm drowned out all the shouting behind him. He caught sight of the same red hair again, and swam closer. As he reached her, he lifted her head out of the water. Though her skin was extremely pale, her lips were not blue. He began to hook an arm through hers, when the ship exploded.

The Prince covered the girl protectively, holding on tight. Even when the waves threatened to rip them apart, and his lungs burned for air, he held onto her waist. Finally, the water calmed, and he pulled her up with him to the surface. As the waves continued to rise and fall in the storm, he couldn't see any sign of the lifeboats. Eric pulled the girl to the rocks, and lifted her halfway onto them. They were large with space enough for them to at least rest and wait out the weather.

When he was sure she wouldn't slip back into the water, he lifted himself up. He reached down to scoop the rest of her up, but a large wave hit the rocks, and he threw himself overtop of her. He held on tightly, keeping them both firmly in place.

The water crashed over them many times. His arms ached from gripping, but he refused to move. A few times, the girl opened her eyes in confusion. Aside from moving the hair out of her face, Eric wasn't really able to look at her. The storm raged on, and he focused on keeping them both alive.

It was early in the morning when the waters finally began to calm, and the prince let exhaustion overtake him.


	4. Chapter 4

Every time Ariel opened her eyes, she was sure she was dreaming. She dreamed of the prince. He'd come to save her. Somehow, between the cold and the pain in her head, she thought she felt his arms around her. Thought she felt his hand on her cheek. Thought she felt him tuck his head into her neck as he covered her protectively.

It wasn't until everything calmed, and the splitting head ache behind her eyes was enough to wake her, that Ariel realized she hadn't been dreaming. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked down to find Eric slumped against her. She glanced around, taking in the rocks that were pressing into her back and the water that rose and fell beside them. The sun was just beginning to turn the sky pink. Her skin felt tight and strange. A word she had known, but had never really experienced came to mind.

 _Dry._

Her skin and hair were dry.

She tried to shift, but the prince stirred. Holding her breath, Ariel waited for him to settle again. His head was resting on her breast. His arms were sprawled out to each side as if they had been holding them both in place.

Why would he pull her from the sea? What had happened?

Trying not to disturb him, Ariel touched the back of her head. Dried purple blood stuck to her fingers when she pulled it away.

She looked down at her tail, still mostly in the water. She looked between it and the prince. Surely he had seen it?

But if he had, why would he pull her out of the sea?

Hair fluttered in front of his face as he exhaled. Gently, she reached out her fingertips and brushed it away. Her chest warmed again when she saw his face.

 _He's so beautiful._ She thought to herself.

As she kept her hand on his cheek, he turned into it. Smiled lightly, as if he found it comforting. Slowly, his eyes cracked open. Her heart began to pound.

He looked up at her in wonder. Eric remembered everything that had happened the night before. It wasn't till that moment he realized exactly how breathtaking the girl was.

She seemed afraid. Nervous. Her brow furrowed while she waited to see what he would do. Eric looked down to see they were still half in the water. He hooked an arm underneath her, to help pull her further onto the rocks, and stopped.

Where he had expected to feel legs and skin, he felt a smooth texture he was all too familiar with. He knew the texture of scales without looking at them. When he tensed, so did Ariel. She was trembling now. She'd been told many times that humans would kill her without thought.

Eric slowly switched his gaze from her face to the lower half of her body. When he first saw it, he moved away. He backed up, until he was pressed against the far side of the rocks. It was only a foot or two, but Ariel felt the sting of rejection as if it had been miles.

She curled up, backing away from him as well. Her arms hooked protectively around the bend in her tail, as if she were hugging her knees.

Once the shock had worn away, Eric looked again. His mind whirled with new questions. Though he longed to ask them, he noticed how frightened the girl was. He considered how this must be as strange for her as it was for him.

 _Not a girl… a mermaid._

Neither of them spoke. As the sun broke through the horizon, the iridescent scales reflected the light. Though they were green at first, they changed from blue to purple, and at times, a light pink. They were beautiful. Ariel was fascinated by what they might look like dry and on land, but she didn't dare look away from the prince. She waited, defensively, for him to react to her.

Eric shifted. Ariel tensed even further.

He put up a hand as if calming a horse. Her eyes flickered between it, and his face. She seemed to understand. When she didn't move again, he reached out slowly. His eyes never stopped studying her expression as his fingertips finally made contact with her tail again. When she didn't pull away, he looked down.

He'd caught a snake once as a child. It was just a simple black one. No fangs. No poison. Once he'd firmly held it's head in place, he played with it. It twisted between his hands, wound and moved in ways he couldn't fathom. The body was firm and solid. Unfamiliar muscles curled and tensed as the cold glassy scales brushed against his skin. Touching that strange creature was far more like the mermaids tail than a fish.

The tail itself was powerful. Strong. The scales were smooth one direction and rough another. The muscles and bones made him curious. The feel and look of them were alien to him.

Ariel debated about jumping into the water and never seeing the boy again. She knew it was safer. That any moment her father's stories could prove to be true, and he'd turn into a murdering barbarian.

Another part of her needed him to be wrong. Needed her father's judgment to be just that. She hoped and prayed that it was nothing more than the bitter ramblings of a lonely old man.

"Wow…" Eric breathed to himself.

He studied her. Scrunched his forehead in thought. His fingertips traced the patterns on her lower body and she relaxed just a little. The small movement made Eric realize he was touching more than just an animal. He looked back up at her, amazed at how beautiful she was with the sun hitting her. She stared at him, confused.

He shook his head. "I keep trying to think of something to say."

A long, heavy pause lingered. The prince didn't remove his hand from her tail. Finally, Ariel also reached out. She kept her gaze on him suspiciously, but lightly touched the edge of his sleeve. Mermaids didn't wear clothing. It wasn't until Ariel was feeling the chill of the morning that she understood its true purpose. Her hair was currently the only thing covering her. A fact that her fascination with his attire was making very obvious.

Years of never being alone made Eric immediately blush and clear his throat. Since his father died, he couldn't remember the last time he was truly alone. No advisors. No guards. No servants. Sleeping was the only peace he got from others company, and even then someone would enter his chamber for the slightest noise. There would come a time when he would have to start commanding the people he was around. He was transitioning between the frightened young boy the palace had raised, and the strong young man who would lead his people.

Out of habit, Eric looked around for others. He worried what would be thought of his hand on her… thigh? What would people say about the naked mermaid in front of him.

The thoughts didn't make him move away.

"I've never seen a human this close before." She breathed.

He laughed, gently. She almost didn't hear it.

"I've never seen a mermaid at all."

Her blue eyes met his. "Are you going to kill me?"

Though he was surprised by the question, Eric did his best not to show a strong reaction to it. Calmly, he shook his head. "No."

She nodded, considering him. "It wouldn't make much sense after saving me."

"I feel a little foolish." He confessed. "Would you have been better off in the water?"

Ariel's attention was returned to her splitting headache. "No. No with all the debris, and the current. Not to mention the blood might have drawn something near."

Eric snapped to attention. "Blood?"

He looked her over, but didn't see any cuts. Gathering her courage, Ariel leaned down and let him look at the back of her head. He touched it gently.

"Your blood is purple?"

She looked at him in surprise. "Isn't yours?"


	5. Chapter 5

Everything about the mermaid and the prince was strange to the other person, from the color of their blood, to the texture of their skin. Ariel's was impossibly soft and pale after years under water. Eric's was tan and rough from hours of sailing in the sun. They were both unsettled by each other, and fascinated. They continued to examine each other, asking the simplest of questions, even though thousands raced through their minds.

Slowly, each began to relax a little more. Ariel trusted that he would not harm her, and Eric trusted that she wouldn't disappear like the morning mist. When the prince shifted, and felt his muscles sore from sitting on the rocks for so long, a new question arose. He looked around.

"Where are we?"

Ariel glanced around as well. "Everything looks so different up here. I'd have to look from underwater. I think we are a couple miles from the nearest town. I assume that is either where you are from, or where you were headed?"

He nodded. "My castle was not far when the storm hit."

"Oh," Ariel nodded. She knew it. The castle with stairs that lead to the water. More than once she had watched celebrations that took place there. The lights from the ballroom reflected over the waves as she watched young couples escape to put their feet in the sea. As a young girl, she was fascinated by how humans touched one another. Merfolk didn't feel passion like they did. The way humans took comfort in flesh, touched their mouths to one another, enjoyed the feel of skin on skin, left the young princess with a longing that made her chest ache.

When she touched the prince's skin, she was shocked by its warmth. Somehow this young man was enough to make her feel things that she'd thought physically impossible for her kind. His hand on her tail made her heart hammer in her chest. When his fingers slid up towards her waist a few more inches, she took a deep breath.

"We should return you to your home. Your people are probably every bit as worried as mine."

The thought was sad for Eric. His head pounded from dehydration, and he was weak with hunger. He needed a long bath and dry clothes. Sleep in a real bed and a visit to the palace physician. Yet he knew if she had asked him to stay, he would.

Sliding away from him, Ariel slipped into the water. She was under for so long, it was hard not to have the very human fear that she was drowning, though he knew it was silly. He would have to train his brain that this was not unsafe.

 _When did you decide this would be a regular thing?_ He thought to himself.

He hadn't even worked up the nerve to ask her name. Did mermaids have names?

A few feet out among the waves, Ariel's head broke through the surface as she flipped her hair out of her face. A deep sigh escaped and she sank back down.

Eric watched in amazement. From a distance, he didn't even try to direct his gaze away from her body. When her intensely blue eyes met his, she didn't look away either.

It was Eric's turn to feel his heart pound. He knew the emotions that humans were capable of feelings, he just had no idea they could be like this.

"We should go," She said. "I will help you back to shore."

He swallowed purposefully, nodding. He didn't want to go back.

He brow furrowed again while she studied his face.

"I don't know human emotions well. Are you sick?" She asked worried.

Eric laughed gently. "No. I'm not sick."

"Hmm," She puzzled. "What are you feeling?"

His mouth opened, and when the right words didn't come to him, he closed it again. He licked his lips, opening his mouth to try again, and still found he was at a loss. Eventually, he gave the only response that came close.

"Lightening."


	6. Chapter 6

Evil has a feel to it. It's a chill in the air. A prickle on your neck. A slimy feeling on your skin. It creeps and slithers, till it settles in your bones.

Eric could feel it.

He kept looking around, even as he struggled to keep up with the mermaid.

Ariel felt it too. She ducked under water to make sure nothing was circling them as she did her best to get the prince back to shore.

Neither of them said anything to each other about it.

From a distance, two slippery companions watched them. They were silent. They followed. They waited. And as they waited, their mastered watched through their eyes.

The sea witch had also been waiting. Years ago, she was banished to the dark pit she lived in when she tried to overthrow the king of the sea. Tritan chose to be merciful toward his sister, instead of executing her. It was a rare sign of weakness. I would cost him dearly.

For now the witch watched her niece with the human. Though she didn't understand the emotions they were experiencing, even found them revolting, she knew they were dangerous. Love was weakness. Love was sickness.

She could use it.

So she waited, and watched as the mermaid and the prince swan many miles back to shore. Both of them would have found the journey tiring on a good day, but they were both injured and exhausted. By the time they reached the beach, neither of them had the strength to go much farther.

Eric crawled on all fours, before looking back at the mermaid helping him. She pulled herself onto the shore, hoping to look at the injuries he'd sustained from the shipwreck. They were nothing compared to the bump on Ariel's head, but she was finding she didn't think too clearly with him around.

Eric tried not to let himself give in and collapse right there. He let the mermaid look him over, even though he thought it was silly.

Her hands were gentle. They swept over every bump and cut. When she reached one on his thigh, a strange emotion came over her. She didn't have a word for it, but her cheeks turned red, and her eyes wouldn't look up at Eric's face no matter how she might will them to.

Eric chuckled softly, "This isn't the time to be shy…" He trailed off, realizing something in horror. "What is your name?"

Ariel stopped. She thought it over in her mind.

"Perhaps it's best you don't know."

He knitted his eyebrows together. "Then how can I find you?"

She looked up at him. "You won't."

The thought that he wouldn't be seeing her again had never entered his mind. From the moment he trusted her not to run off, he couldn't picture being without her. While that sounded overly romantic and silly, even in his own head, his heart wouldn't accept it.

"But how can you-"

The mermaid covered his mouth with her hand and looked around. His voice had risen much louder.

"Eric, the only reason I know your name is because I overheard you with your people. The only reason I'm here is because I was hit on the head. The only reason I stayed is because I owed you for saving me. My name, and my presence after this, will not be required."

It was a cold statement, and it was the very opposite of how Ariel felt, but she couldn't encourage him. There was no hope for whatever emotions she had bubbling in the human half of her stomach.

It was as if the prince hadn't heard her. While she was close to him, he decided it was it was his turn to look at her injuries. She held very still as he examined the back of her head. Her hand was still over his mouth. She flinched away softly when his rough fingers became too much. As his hands traced the back of her head, she removed her from over his mouth and followed his arm until she'd grabbed his fingers.

"I'm okay." She insisted.

Slowly, she moved his hand out of her hair, but he gently swept his thumb across her cheek as he did. When her eyes fluttered softly, he stopped. She didn't pull away. Carefully, he touched the back of his palm against her cheek, her hand still gripping his. This time she hesitated, but closed her eyes, and sighed.

The sea witch continued to watch. She laughed to herself. "The child, has fallen in love with a _human._ And not just any human, a PRINCE."

The eels, still watching for her, laughed as well. King Triton would never allow this. What would happen when he found out? Where would she go? More importantly, to whom would she turn?

Ursula watched. She waited. She let the beginning of her plan unfold.


	7. Chapter 7

Ariel stayed with Eric while he rested. They were both too tired to move. She leaned against a rock on the shore and watched him lying on the sand. Everytime she looked at him, she felt her heart swell again. She closed her eyes, and rested her head back against the stone behind her.

" _Pull yourself together."_ She scolded herself.

He rolled from his side to his back, and she spent several minutes watching his chest rise and fall. Carefully, she inched closer, to lean overtop of him. He didn't move. Had he not been so exhausted, he might have been aroused by the feeling of being watched.

While he slept, she looked down at his feet. They were strange looking, with ten little nubs coming off the ends. The part of his foot that met his leg had things sticking out, as if a bolt was running through them. She'd seen those on parts of sunken ships. Even though they seemed strange, Ariel was fascinated. She'd always been interested in the human world.

But this world was not her own. How many times did she will herself to jump back into the water? To swim away and never look back?

 _Just because this one isn't a barbarian, doesn't mean the others aren't._

She'd decided she could trust him. He was fool, and a schmuck, but those were the biggest crimes he'd committed.

 _He's alone brave, and kind._

She groaned. She was in so much trouble.

That groan was enough to rouse Eric from his much needed sleep, and she cursed herself. He looked around in alarm.

She ran her fingers through his hair to calm him.

"It's okay. You're alright."

His eyes were serious as he pointed out, "I was more worried about you."

She smiled gently. "I'm alright too."

Gentle enough that the action was more of a question than a command, Eric pulled her into his side. Unsure, Ariel leaned down and rested her head on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her, and he fell back asleep. Before long, she was dreaming too.

The next morning, when sunlight peeked through the clouds, Ariel snuck off at the sound of approaching company. Search parties had been scouring the coast. No one wanted to believe that the only heir to the throne had drowned two nights ago in the storm.

When the party found him. Eric was delusional. They all thought he'd gone mad, asking where "She" had gone. The men looked at each other, feeling their relief at finding him alive grow into worry that he was no longer the same young man he'd been before.

Ariel watched him go, and when he was finally out of sight, she began the long journey home.


	8. Chapter 8

Eric was beside himself. He didn't sleep well. He didn't eat much. He walked the coast, and waited for the mermaid that had stolen his heart to come back to him.

Ariel couldn't focus. She didn't hear a word most said to her. She didn't even notice the feel of the sea witches goons as the watched her closely. She swam to the shore and observed the prince who was still hoping she'd come back to him.

"Ariel?" A voice asked behind her one night as she watched Eric from a rock. He sat at the bottom of the steps leading to the ocean, and looked out at the water. That emotion she understood.

Longing.

The same feeling she'd had since her mother died. Longing for someone to understand. To be able to speak without fear of judgment. To be accepted for who you truly are.

Ariel didn't even flinch at the person behind her.

"How long have you known?" She asked her sister.

Arista came closer. "You don't exactly hide it. You've gotten sloppy."

There was a mischievous grin on her face, referring to all the things they'd done together as children and gotten away with. Ariel was excellent at hiding things, but her heart wasn't in it this time.

"Yes, well, almost dying will do that to someone."

Arista didn't react strongly like a human would to that statement. Close encounters were not uncommon for merfolk. She looked out at the boy on the castle steps.

"Is that how you met him?"

"Mmm" Ariel nodded. "He saved my life."

Arista smiled. Despite the situation, she couldn't help admiring the romance of it. Then the smile faded. "You know what father will do."

"I do."

Eric, looked up as someone called to him, and the girls watched him talk to his advisor again. It ended in frustration for both parties. Neither mermaid could hear the conversation, but they knew what it was about.

"Is he worth it?"

Ariel considered that, watching the sunlight dance on the waves that separated her from Eric.

"He doesn't even know my name."

Arista looked at her again, "That doesn't answer the question."

Eric stood up and walked away from the old man, rubbing his eyes. He looked as tired as Ariel felt.

"He was worth it the first time."

Later that night, as Eric sat on his balcony and played a tune on his flute, he saw something shimmer in the water. His heart stopped, sure he'd seen a glimpse of red hair. Without stopping, he sprinted through the palace. Servants dove out of the way, watching him in bewilderment as he headed for the steps.

His feet thundered on the marble, but he saw nothing even when he was waist high in the water.

"Hello?" He called.

There was no answer.

"Come on, don't do this to me. I didn't dream you up!"

The prince wasn't sure who he was really trying to reassure. Could it really have been an elaborate hallucination? Sighing, he scooped up a handful of water and splashed his face with it. As he turned to walked back upstairs, he stopped.

At the bottom of the stairs, sitting right under the railing, was a bottle. He must have run right past it. The prince didn't know Ariel and her sisters favorite past time as a child was to write messages in a bottle and deliver them to human children in elaborate ways.

Quickly, Eric ran forward and grabbed the blue glass bottle, yanking the cork out. Inside was a rolled up piece of paper. How she'd managed this was beyond him, but he knew in his soul it was from the mermaid that had saved him.

One word was scrawled across the parchment.

One word gave him life again.

One word told him he wasn't crazy.

 _Ariel_


	9. Chapter 9

_Ariel_

The paper she'd left behind had become worn and faded after hours in the prince's pocket. He'd lost track of how many times he'd pulled it out. How many times he'd traced her delicate hand writing.

Grimsby was happier. The prince was able to focus again, knowing she was real and that she hadn't disappeared entirely. His advisor assumed he'd come to his senses and forgotten all about the mermaid he'd seen in the water.

Eric was happy to let him think it. The palace, and the people, had been very worried about him. He focused his effort in reassuring them, instead of pleasing Grim.

In the mornings, Eric walked into town. The guards insisted on following, but he turned them down.

"But your highness, after the-"

Eric scoffed, "Do you think another hurricane is going to hit in the middle of the town square?"

He gestured to the clear blue sky. The guards looked at each other, unsure. The prince turned and walked away, not waiting for a response.

Halfway down the hill, Eric thought to himself, _"If I'd known it was that easy to get rid of them, I would have done it years ago."_

As a boy, Eric longed to run into town and play with the other children. Of course, he'd come here hundreds of times, but always with someone over his shoulder. The guards were intimidating to young children, and their parents feared what would happen if the prince were injured while paying with their son or daughter.

Now, he strolled on his own, enjoying the feeling of the sea breeze in his hair. The people looked at him in surprise the first few times. Many were too afraid to speak to him alone. The baker was the first to say anything, offering him a pastry.

"How are you, highness?" He asked.

Eric smiled. "Doing well. Yourself? How's business?"

They chatted for some time about the weddings and events the baker was preparing for.

"I do hope I'll be able to make a royal wedding cake soon," He hinted not so subtly.

The prince chuckled. Normally he would have groaned, or politely moved on, but the memory of the red haired mermaid made his heartbeat quicken.

 _Ariel_

Patting the man on the back, Eric simply said, "As do I."


	10. Chapter 10

Ariel struggled daily with her emotions. They ranged from longing, and hope, to embarrassment and anger. She often took in a sharp breath when a memory of his hand on her tail or the bottle she had placed at the bottom of the steps floated to the forefront of her mind.

 _Pull yourself together!_

She scolded herself. WHY had she left that bottle? Why had she been at that ship that night? Why didn't she just swim away when she came to on the rocks? The human would have died, but who cares?

 _You care. You made your choice, so own it. The time for backing out was BEFORE the bottle, when it could have all been a dream to the boy!_

Any day her father would know what was going on. If she was being honest, she was waiting for him to explode. It would force her to react somehow. To make some kind of choice.

But what would she do? She had been reminded everyday of her life of her mother's perfection. How she looked like her, and sang like her, but could never embody the dazzling lady the queen had been.

She was also reminded of what monsters humans were. Though she couldn't speak for all humans, the one she had encountered was kind and brave. It had filled her heart with even more doubt about her people's beliefs. As she continued to swim to the princes palace, her mind began to drift to memories.

When she was younger, Ariel had found a painting in a shipwreck. Her father had caught her examining it, fingers tracing the flames in the picture and wondering what it was.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he had asked.

"What is it?" She looked at him, confused.

He settled next to her and looked at the painting. "It's called fire. It only happens on land."

"I thought humans were all monsters? The things they create-"

"True monsters bewitch their prey, my daughter. If you knew what they were just by looking, you would never get close enough to fall victim to their tretury. Never forget that. Never trust them."

Ariel thought for a few moments. "Have you ever tried to talk to them?"

His eyes grew cold at the thought. "We do not speak to those creatures, Ariel. Those are the rules."

"Then how do you know-"

"Ariel, how many times must we go through this? We must have faith in the laws of our ancestors. Believe in our peoples-"

"But isn't true faith earned from questioning? You have to be willing to consider all sides, otherwise it's just blind-"

Ariel was cut off when her father's hand struck her swiftly across the face. She yelped and did not look back at him. Her face stung, but she refused to reach her hand up to touch it.

"You forget your place little mermaid." Her father growled at her. She kept her eyes down to prevent angering him further. "Now come. It's time to practice."

She waited till he had swum several feet ahead of her before letting out a sigh. She would never think like her father, no matter how hard she tried to understand him. She watched the gold trident in his firm grip and dreaded the lessons they would have that day. Her father's powers were known throughout the ocean. His affinity for lightening was unmatched by any seen before. Her sisters had all shown strengths of their own, each with their own special skill. Ariel, however, had not inherited a great affinity that anyone had seen.

As they entered the underwater arena, she watched her sisters manipulate the currents, create glass out of sand, change the temperature of the water, use their minds to speak to others or control things, but Ariel still struggled to perform even the most basic of tasks. She struggled to move stones under the ocean while her oldest sister did it with ease. Her father watched her disapprovingly.

Her mother had been incredibly powerful. A fact her father never left Ariel, or the rest of her sisters forget. Even the smallest signs of struggle were met with his judgement. Exactly what her mother's strengths had been, she still didn't know.

Ariel was brought back to the present as she reached the princes castle. She watched him, as usual, from the rocks near the stairs. He waited, as he did every night, feet in the water. His boots rested next to him. She had not contacted him again since the bottle she had left at the foot of the stairs.

Though she had not reached out to him, he continued to speak out to her whenever he sensed her presence. Somehow he always knew she was there.

"My father was a great man." He said, laying back with his arms folded behind his head. "He had great plans for me. It my job to expand the size of the kingdom. Make an alliance of some form."

Ariel listened with a sad smile on her face. She knew all too well about expectations.

"I swear I've met every princess Grim can find, and not one has understood me. Plenty were kind, and smart. Many were beautiful and rich. Still, no one felt like-"

"Lightning" Ariel softly finished the sentence for him. She was too quiet for him to hear, but somehow he knew she understood.

"Tomorrow one of our merchant ships will return. Everyone will go down to the docks to celebrate. If I can slip away, I can make it to the beach."

Ariel took a sharp breath.

"Please meet me. I know you're there, Ariel. I can feel it. It's the only thing I'm really sure of at all anymore. I understand why you don't want to talk here. Come tomorrow. The same place you left me after the storm. I'll be waiting."


	11. Chapter 11

Eric waited nervously on the beach. He could hear the music and the people at the docks nearby. He was happy to hear the town celebrating together.

 _She'll come._ He tried to reassure himself.

He was beginning to lose hope when he heard splashing. Squinting against the light of the setting sun, he saw movement out by the rocks. Without waiting, he removed his boots and shirt, the swam out. He hoisted himself up out of the ocean and waited patiently.

"You know that sharks feed this time of day, right?" She asked as her head popped out of the water. She folded her arms on the rocks and rested her chin on them.

Eric smiled the moment he saw her. "Well, luckily I have someone to protect me if something wants to make a meal out of me."

She sighed, "True. I already chased them away before you came. Sorry, it took so long."

It took a lot of self-control not to immediately reach out and touch her. It had been weeks since the shipwreck. He'd had nothing but memories and a little slip of paper to remind him of the mermaid he had met.

"I never thanked you for saving me before," he said.

She laughed, "I believe you saved me, Eric."

The sound of his name warmed his chest, and he gently reached out a hand toward her. She didn't move away, but she watched his movements. Carefully, he brought the back of his hand to her cheek. He softly ran his thumb across her cheekbone. 

"Ariel-" he said softly.

Her heart fluttered at the sound of her name. She cleared her throat. "So, your people celebrate when a ship returns?"

He nodded, never taking his eyes off her. "They are often gone for several months. The people welcome their loved ones home."

She looked over towards the party. "Has the ship arrived?"

"Not yet. Soon we will see it over the horizon."

Ariel smiled, looking out and imagining a ship bringing home her family. She imagined being with the people in the town. Dancing and spinning as she had seen them do on the ship the night of the storm. She imagined clothing swirling around her legs as she moved to the music.

Merpeople did not show emotions like this. Leaving for business was the way of things. Never returning was also part of life.

"Where did you go?" The prince's voice jerked her back to where they were.

She thought a moment before speaking. "I was just imagining being human."

"How so?"

"Dancing. I was imagining how it feels to dance."

Eric watched the curiosity light in her eyes, and he had never been so compelled to dance in his entire life. He'd spent hours with private instructors. He'd danced with countless princesses and ladies, bored to tears and wish he could be anywhere else. Yet here, now, he could have danced for hours, and never tired.

"Someday I'll show you how." He smiled at her.

She scoffed, "Perhaps, prince."

She didn't sound like she believed it at all, but she was grinning.

"I'm telling you," he insisted, "Watch and you'll see. Someday you and I are going to dance."


	12. Chapter 12

It was dark when Ariel realized they had been talking for hours without stopping. She rested back against a rock, the tip of her tail gracing the water, and listened to the prince talk about the places he had sailed. The sounds of the town's celebration were going strong. The ships had come into view over the horizon, and would soon be approaching the docks.

Eric, in turn, would listen to Ariel try to describe the beauty of the underwater world to him. She was careful never to mention her kingdom or her people. When she had deflected his questions about her family, he took the hint not to ask them anymore. Instead, he wanted to hear about the plants and animals he couldn't even dream.

The mermaids fire red hair was thoroughly dry, and crusted with salt. Ariel watched the stars above with a soft smile on her face. Even in the silvery moonlight, you could see the shimmer of her iridescent scales.

They sat near one another but did not touch. Sometimes, the prince would reach out and trace patterns down Ariel's shoulder. She was still impossibly soft. The color and feel of his suntanned hands confused her. They felt rough, and yet gentle at the same time. She watched Eric's feet, trying to imagine what it would be like to have toes.

"Can you move those?" She asked, pointing at them.

He chuckled and fanned his toes wide. Then he wiggled them and watched Ariel's he forehead crease with curiosity.

"What are they for?" Her blue eyes met his.

"They help us walk. Without them, it is quite difficult to stay balanced."

"Balanced," Ariel whispered, trying a new word on her tongue.

Eric tried to think of a way to explain balance but drew a blank. Instead, he decided to show her. Standing, he lifted one foot off the ground and used his arms to keep steady.

"If I don't position myself the right way, I will fall. That's why we use two legs on land. My toes fan out. Make it easier to stay upright."

As Ariel opened her mouth to tell him to be careful, he fell backward into the water with a loud splash. She slid down off the rocks to look for him, but his head popped back up before she needed to.

The moon was bright tonight, making it easy to see Eric's face as he watched her swim towards him.

When they were in the water like this, the mermaid and the prince looked as if they were from the same world. All their differences were nowhere to be seen. Lost in the waves.

Forgetting herself, Ariel gently placed a hand on his bare chest. She felt his heart quicken, but he made no other move. Her other hand, she brought to move his hair out of his face. Eric took hold of the hand on his chest and held it tight.

"Ariel," He whispered.

His spare arm gently hooked around her waist. He pulled her close, wanting nothing more than to kiss her at that moment.

"The music stopped," Ariel whispered.

Eric blinked, confused. "What?"

She looked back towards the docks. "The music. Do they normally stop playing when the ships arrive?"

"No," Eric followed her gaze. "If anything, it should be louder. Somethings wrong."


	13. Chapter 13

Ariel hugged close to the wooden pillars under the docks and listened. The town was in a panic. Many were crying after learning that loved ones would never be coming home. Some were angry and demanding answers. Others were afraid. It was a plethora of emotions the likes of which Ariel had never encountered. Only a handful of humans had managed to make it home again. Exactly what had happened, the mermaid wasn't sure. A new word was tossed around repeatedly in the conversation. Pirates. What was a pirate? She waited, puzzling out the comments as best she could. "Attacked." "Killed." "Stole everything."  
"Ship with black sails."  
By this point, Ariel had almost decided that humans were not the monsters her father had insisted, but if they were capable of this- When the people had finally calmed down, and most everyone had returned to their homes, Ariel made her way to the castle. She looked up at the building, watching the lights burn for many hours. She wondered what the humans were discussing. What was Eric planning? How would he handle this? Could something like this be handled? If it was a ship, they must be gone by now. It was very late by the time the prince wandered down the steps leading to the sea. Ariel waited to be sure it was him. "Ariel," He said softly. She swam forward, concerned. Without removing his shoes or shirt, Eric walked straight into the sea and wrapped his arms around her. The mermaid tensed at first. She was not accustomed to being touched. After a few minutes, she realized how exhausted the prince must be. She relaxed and even softly ran her hand over his back. "I'm sorry." She whispered. He nodded. "They were good men. I've known almost everyone in this town my entire life. We've never lost so many at once."  
Ariel listened, unsure what to say. "What happened?" Eric sighed, "There was a ship full of terrible people. They stole everything and killed almost everyone. Only five people made it back. Just enough people to sail the ship."  
"Pirates." Ariel tested the word, looking confused. "Why would they leave them alive?"  
"I don't know." Eric shrugged. "It doesn't make sense. Worse, we had an ample supply of oil on the ship. The Pirates didn't even keep it. They dumped it all into the sea."  
"Oil?" Ariel asked. "Um-" Eric tried to think of a way to explain. "Its black, and slick. We use it to make fire."  
"Oh." Ariel considered it. How strange these humans sounded. It was extremely rare that merpeople attacked for any reason besides power or necessity. To kill so many for seemingly no purpose made little sense to the mermaid. "Where did they say this ship was?"  
Eric did his best to explain where the attack took place. Travel underwater compared to sailing was very different. Ariel nodded, pulling away. "I'll go."  
"Go?" Eric asked. "I'll find the ship."  
The prince shook his head. "Are you crazy? Do you understand how many people they killed? There were 40 people on that ship, Ariel."  
"It's okay. I'll find out what I can."  
"It's dangerous!" He insisted, reaching for her, but she pulled away again. "I'll be fine. They won't even know I'm there."  
"Ariel-" He called just as she disappeared under the water. "Ariel!" "Eric?" The old advisor called over the side of the castle. "Is that you? What are you doing?"  
Knowing he would never find her, Eric rubbed his forehead with his hand and replied, "Nothing, Grim. I couldn't sleep."  
"Well, come inside before you get sick."  
The prince nodded, "I'll be right there."


	14. Chapter 14

Ariel found the ship with black sails dangerously close to her kingdom. Something about the vessel seemed cold and uninviting just by looking at it. As her head broke the water, thick black slime covered her.

She rubbed it between her fingers.

Oil.

She climbed the side of the old ship with difficulty. Her hands were slick, still coated with slime. Ariel wrestled with the familiar feeling as she found a spot to watch the humans on board. These men were not handsome like the prince. Nor did they seem kind. Many had rough skin that looked dry and diseased. They were missing teeth, and some were missing limbs.

Ariel shuttered. Maybe these were the monsters her father meant. One man barked orders and seemed to intimidate the rest of the crew. She determined he must be the leader of the group.

"The next ship'll be passin through here in the next few days. Prepare yourselves." The leader's deep growling voice was not easy to understand. He had long midnight black hair pulled into a ponytail and tan skin. He looked different from other humans Ariel had seen.

"Cap'n-" one of the men spoke up, "Whats the point a these ships if we jus throw most a the merchandise into the sea?"

The captain looked at the man and demanded, "Who asked you to chime in?"

He was older than Eric but younger than some of the crew. Mermaids aged differently than humans, so the number was impossible for Ariel to guess. Regardless, the younger and older humans recoiled at his menacing tone. This man was intimidating.

The pirate that had addressed the captain looked away.

"When the next ship sails through here it's the same plan as before. Take whatever else you can find, but the oil goes over."

Ariel was confused as she examined the oil covering her hands. Why would they throw this into the sea? Wasn't it more valuable to them if they used it?

With only one hand gripping the side of the ship, Ariel slipped, trying to stifle her cry as she fell back into the water. She waited, praying they didn't hear her on board. The mermaid swam behind the nearby rocks before surfacing. Her heart sank when she found several crew members looking over the railings where she fell.

"I'm tellin yeh- Somebody is down there!" One pirate with dark skin insisted.

A small old man leaning far over the side was interrupted as he said: "It were a-"

"If you say 'mermaid' one more time, I'll throw YOU overboard!" The captain growled. Ariel let out a sigh of relief when he shut down the speculation, yet she was sure the captain was scanning the water with his eyes. There was suspicion in them, not born of superstition. He knew something.


End file.
